


Fighting Words

by rhetoricalrogue



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Complete, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 16:12:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4926340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhetoricalrogue/pseuds/rhetoricalrogue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This drabble was inspired by the lovely <a href="http://mellorianj.tumblr.com/">Mellorianj's</a> drawing of a <a href="http://mellorianj.tumblr.com/post/130325134961/mellorianjart-young-eskel-saving-this-cutie">young Eskel.</a></p>
    </blockquote>





	Fighting Words

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble was inspired by the lovely [Mellorianj's](http://mellorianj.tumblr.com/) drawing of a [young Eskel.](http://mellorianj.tumblr.com/post/130325134961/mellorianjart-young-eskel-saving-this-cutie)

The sounds of wooden practice swords hitting their targets and muted grunting rang out in the training yard.

“Move your feet!” A brief second later, “Second position! Good! Bring your elbow down further, Eskel.” Three consecutive hits in quick succession had Vesemir pushing himself off from the stone wall he had been leaning on as he watched his two pupils spar. “Geralt, you’re leading too far out with your right leg, bring it in closer.”

“But it feels _weird_.”

“Do you think a basilisk is going to care if you’re comfortable? You face one of them using that stance and you’ll either be missing a leg or dead in minutes.” Walking closer to the two, Vesemir crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Now, where will you most likely find a basilisk, and what is it immune to?”

Eskel grunted as he blocked Geralt’s blade. “ _Basilisks favor dark, wet environments, such as caves or abandoned canal branches as their dwellings,_ ” he quoted. “ _Their most dangerous weapon is their venom; basilisks are immune to most poisons and resistant to any attempt at stunning them._ ”

“Very good. You just earned yourself an extra apple with dinner tonight.”

“Show off,” Geralt said, pitching his voice low enough so that only Eskel could hear.

Eskel grinned. “Maybe you should have paid attention to that chapter instead of sneaking off to practice the pendulum by yourself,” he countered.

Geralt laughed. “Yeah, well maybe you should have practiced the pendulum more instead of sticking your nose in a boring old book and you could block this!” The boy swung his blade and moved on feet too quick for Eskel to keep up with. Instead of wood meeting wood, there was a crack of wood hitting flesh.

“ _Augh!_ My face!” Eskel dropped his sword and brought his hands up to his nose.

“Here, here. Let me see.” Vesemir tilted the boy’s head up and appraised the damage. “Well, looks like you drew first blood, Geralt. Not quite what I had in mind when I set you two out to spar today, but your footwork was good.” Taking a rag out from his back pocket, he dabbed at the blood slowly seeping down Eskel’s chin. “The good news is that it isn’t broken. Probably stings something fierce, doesn’t it?”

“I can handle it,” Eskel stoically replied. He bent to pick his sword up and brought it up into the first guard position. Blood continued to slowly ooze from his nose, but he didn’t care. “Unless you wore yourself out…” He quirked his eyebrow as he challenged Geralt, who gladly picked up where they had suddenly left of.

Vesemir shook his head as he watched them continue. He made a mental note to take Eskel aside and refine his blocking techniques. He thought back to the conversation the boys had _thought_ he hadn’t overheard and made another mental note to give Geralt extra bookwork for the chapter he had skipped out on.


End file.
